Review Summary: The Burning Cold is still Omnium Gatherum at their peak. They haven’t rivaled Beyond’s brilliance yet created songs capable of inducing powerful emotions and raw aggression.
Yes, they released Beyond in 2013, and it set a herculean standard for Melodeath. Grey Heavens kept building on their momentum, but it never matched its excellence. Omnium Gatherum tried again. Did they fail?
It is common among bands who pass the five-album mark: they start releasing records agglomerating previous elements. Omnium Gatherum is no exception. The Burning Cold links the progressive nature of albums such as “Spirits and August Light” with instrumental experimentations present in “New World Shadows”, while forging the melodious interludes heard in Beyond. Yet throwing the right ingredients into a bowl isn’t’ enough to make a tasty cake: sometimes the oven screws up. The album’s recording process can ruin the product.
The Burning Cold’s main problem lies in the sound mix. Be it a band’s decision, or just negligent production, these 11 songs feel unpolished, it’s aggressive old-school sound taking away the experience. This is evident in Jukka Pelkonen‘s vocals, which lack bass and clarity, making it feel disconnected. Songs like Over The battlefield or Fearless Entity, although aggressive, punchy, and at times melodic, are limited by the haphazard vocal lines.
Jukka Pelkonen‘s redeems himself in “Be The Sky”. His nasty growls make the epic melodies shine. The track is the record’s highest point, especially during the bridge. Driven By Conflict follows in its footsteps: blast beats, thrash riffs, and an exploding chorus. Here, Markus Vanhala’s solo work is underwhelming. It’s light-years away from the brilliance of Insomnium - his other project. The solos aren’t bad, yet some songs ask for more lead work. What he foreclosures in solos, he offers in melody lines, like in “The Frontline” chorus.
The Burning Cold is still Omnium Gatherum at their peak. They haven’t rivaled Beyond’s brilliance yet created songs capable of inducing powerful emotions and raw aggression.
And that’s enough.
